Hi fellow brothers and sisters in Grace.I have received an email, which I have reproduced below.This brother may be well meaning, however I believe he is obviously wrong, in his comments.
I am opening my blog for discussion.Please feel free, to leave your comments graciously.Thank you.God bless you all.
The article is as follows word for word........
"The Truth About The 10 Commandments Of God
There are many preaching in the world, different teachings on the topic of Grace versus the Law. They say that now we do not live under the Law but under Grace. Stop here, this is a very important statement, why? Because it means we do not need to follow the Law of God again. Can this be true? It's too good to be true. And I would certainly want this to be true, but is this the true?
What does it mean? Come on lets reason, says the Lord. Remember the 10 Commandments were the only statements that God wrote with his own fingers, except for the other one in Daniel, the writings on the wall. But the 10 Commandments were the first writings of God and we can all agree on that, despite all denominations and religious diversions.
What are the 10 commandments?
1. Exodus 20: 3, "You shall have no other gods before me.
2. Exodus 20: 4, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. Exodus 20:7, "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
4. Exodus 20: 8, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
5. Exodus 20:12, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
6. Exodus 20:13, "You shall not murder."
7. Exodus 20:14, "You shall not commit adultery."
8. Exodus 20:15, "You shall not steal."
9. Exodus20:16, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
10. Exodus 20:17, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
When Jesus was asked what shall a man do to please God? Jesus summed up the 10 Commandments into two commandments, first, love the Lord your God with all your body, soul and spirit, and second, love your neighbor as yourself. How did Jesus sum up the 10 into the 2? Rightly divide the word, and this was the message that God told us to do, to rightly divide the word of God.
The first 4 Commandments was what we must do in order to show how we are to love God. And the other 6 Commandments were what we must do in order to love our fellow human beings, our parents included. Now isn't it very obvious that the 10 Commandments talks about the only one thing in common which is Love, and God is Love. How brilliant can that be? It's fantastic that God gave us 10 things to do to exercise Love.
Now contemplate this, if you love your daughter how would you show it? How can you love someone with words and no actions? So what is the one common simple action that all of us as parents do for our kids and it's not a rule to follow but an action from the heart? Its call giving, we give gifts to our children, we buy them things and by that they know we love them. So if I teach a course about how to love our kids and I say if you love them buy them some gifts, then does this become a rule or regulation? No. It only means that love creates and produces an action call giving of gifts.
Yet some misguided teachers of this Grace called it rules and regulation which makes us a robot. What does this really mean that we have Grace from Jesus? It means that by just following the 10 commandments alone, no one can be made righteous by doing this without the inner sanctification. If we do not receive Jesus as our Savior, and we just obey the 10 commandments alone, we will not receive salvation. Grace is the gift of Jesus' sacrifice, the perfect lamb that sin not died for a world of sinners. So it was by Grace that we are saved and not by obeying the 10 Commandments alone.
However, if the 10 Commandments are no longer valid, meaning it's obsolete, then how are we to live, it's ridiculous since the world's law will punish everyone who steal, let alone commit a murder. How can the word of God nullify the laws of this earth and go against what HE instituted on earth? Did you not know that all authorities, powers and dominions were made by HIM?
Read Colossians 1:16, "16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." Governments and institutions of the world are created by God, period. And to venture deeper, even Evil was created by God, as all things means all things. How can we know Good without the presence of Evil, Light without Darkness?
Jesus said in his famous prayers that "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Thy will be done, in the human domain as it is in the spiritual domain. When we received the Holy Spirit during baptism of the Spirit and not just water, we actually become indwelled with the Spirit of God. And when we have this Spirit, it then helps us to obey the 10 Commandments of God. For God said, Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." So if heaven and earth is still around, how can his words become nullified by anyone? Therefore, the 10 Commandments can not be obsolete, simple as that, God said so; and I wouldn't want to change what God said.
And again God says, Matthew 5:19, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Saying the 10 Commandments is no longer valid is equivalent to saying that we do not need to follow it; and that is the same as teaching Christians to be lawless. If future sins are also all forgiven, why do Christians still suffer from cancer and terminal sickness, didn't Jesus' beaten stripes healed them all according to Isaiah? How can their preaching and the reality be different? I suspect this is a wrong teaching or they may not be real Christians. The wages of sin is death, was this only for the sinners or for all people, saved or unsaved? You'll have to answer that carefully.
There is no Old or New Testament, there is only the Word of God, and God can not contradict himself, even so is the same with the Holy Spirit. The Old is a shadow of the New and they compliment each other, they do not become obsolete just because Jesus came, only the daily sacrifice by the Priests has been removed other than that nothing has changed, since Jesus became the sacrifice and sits on the father's right hand. Also the veil that covers the Holy of Holies has been torn so that we can now come to God directly without any other human intermediary except for Jesus who became our intercessor and mediator to defend us, while the Devil is the prosecutor who persecutes us and accuses us in front of God.
Although Jesus paid the price, that does not mean we are once saved always saved, for there is a sin for which there is no forgiveness and that is the "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." Then there was the case of Ananias and Sapphira, in Acts 5:1, where they sold their property but did not gave the full amount to Peter and both were struck dead by the Holy Spirit. If Grace was the theme in the New Testament why was Ananias and Sapphira not pardoned, yet they were struck by God. And some say God does not kill.
We should not presume what is said by God without first consulting the Holy Spirit else whatever we conceive of our own understanding will become a myth and fairy tale. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." He who does not have the Spirit of God will contradict what God says and in that they have already condemned themselves and become false teachers of the Law. For they teach apostasy against the will of God. Man is not the author of the bible; the Holy Spirit is the real author of this Holy Book. And if anyone shall add or remove from this Holy Book, his reward will also be removed and his punishment will be added unto him. Lastly, the bible says very clearly in Proverbs 19:5, 19:9 and especially in Proverbs 21:28, "A false witness will perish and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever." If you want to Seek the Truth and get your breakthrough today. God bless you all."
Hi Kev,
ReplyDeleteI quote: "However, if the 10 Commandments are no longer valid, meaning it's obsolete, then how are we to live, it's ridiculous since the world's law will punish everyone who steal, let alone commit a murder."
Consider the case of Joseph vs David:
Joseph lived BEFORE the Ten Commandments but he knew that it was wrong to sleep with Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:9).
David lived AFTER the Ten Commandments and so he definitely knew that it was wrong to sleep with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba.
Joseph DID NOT SLEEP with Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:10-12) even though she seduced him day after day.
David SOUGHT out Uriah's wife and SLEPT with her (2 Sam 11:2-4).
Joseph, who did NOT have the Ten Commandments to guide him, did NOT commit adultery while David, who HAD the Ten Commandments, COMMITTED adultery.
This is why 1 Corinthians 15:56 says "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law."
Hi Kev,
ReplyDeleteI quote:
"There is no Old or New Testament, there is only the Word of God, and God can not contradict himself, even so is the same with the Holy Spirit. The Old is a shadow of the New and they compliment each other, they do not become obsolete just because Jesus came, only the daily sacrifice by the Priests has been removed other than that nothing has changed, since Jesus became the sacrifice and sits on the father's right hand."
The Law is a covenant and Jesus came to abolish that covenant and establish a new and better covenant. Jesus did not come as a mere substitute for bulls and goats but as the MEDIATOR of a BETTER COVENANT established on BETTER PROMISES.
Hebrews 8:3-10 (NKJV)
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.
4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.
The new covenant of Jesus does not complement the old covenant of the Ten Commandments. The new makes obsolete the old.
Hebrews 8:13 (NKJV)
13 In that He says, “A new covenant, ” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
God cannot contradict himself.
Kev this is what I posted just on Stan's comment page and on my blog. It speaks about law, grace and how we need to differentiate btw what is new convenant and what is old. =D It doesnt address 10 commandments head on, but it addresses my stand on it in the subtext quite clearly imho.
ReplyDeleteA bit roundabout and a bit longwinded... but gonna post it here anyway coz I think it might reach out to some ppl. Feel free to comment on it too k? LOL. Shalom, Geri
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I think it is crucial to remember this (when we read the bible) - the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John relate to the times when men were still under the OT laws- ie they are pre-new covenant.
New covenant in Christ only started after Jesus's death and ascension into heaven (ie ACTS onwards).
Crucial to note LORD'S PRAYER is OT prayer. Why? =)
"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us." - With His death, Christ has forgiven us of our sins past, present and future. Now redeemed, we live a life of repentance - not saying sorry all the time, but a life of heart transformation.
And also, by His death on the cross, Christ has delivered us from evil.
Unless you are saying that His work was not finished on the Cross as He said it was. ^.^"
Also LORD's prayer was an example of how to pray - praise, requests & inward reflection and just humbling onself before God.
When we read the bible, it is crucical i feel to discern what is pre-new convenant teaching and what is post. It makes a whole lot of difference to understanding scripture. This is not my own unique view I am sure and there are writings discussing this topic.
Before I go, even understanding the parables told by Jesus require us to understand first of all who was he addressing His parables to.
An example of OT parable-
The rich young ruler whom Jesus asked to give up his wealth and position and follow him, couldn't and parted sadly - that young ruler had claimed he had fulfilled all of OT's legalism. But Christ wanted to remind him that he was not perfect and had not kept all law as he proudly claimed he had. By not being able to leave his wealth behind, that young man had sinned under Mosaic law because those had become source of his idolatory. The young man knew that truth and left with a heavey heart. And under Mosaic Law, crucial to remember also - sin one, keep nine = breaking all ten regardless.
The difference btw the young man in the parable, and those of us who believe that Christ's death has won the victory over the devourer and thus prospers us in ALL areas of our life is this - because of Christ's death on the Cross, a new convenant has rendered the mosaic law obsolete (says so in the scriptures)- but that does not mean we live to sin now that we have grace... no way. Because law has been made obsolete in His death, the curses have been lifted. By putting Christ first in our pursuit of life, He adds the rest of the blessings to us. We prosper as our soul prospers - we achieve a victorious life in our spirit which leads to a victorious life in the physical realm.
When one is sound in Spirit and Jesus is one's first love, God is able to bless us with blessings that bring us no sorrow.
A man who loves money before Christ cannot be trusted with wealth as it will only make him sad - money will always be, as Jack Neo says, no enough for the dude.
But when a person puts Christ first and is able to give what God has blessed him with away to wherever the HS has led him to sow, God knows that he can bless the guy with wealth because the dude is a good steward whom money has no power over.
The veil in the temple was torn at the moment of Christ's death so we are no longer sinners enslaved to a cursed fallen earth, the torn veil means we can now see God face to face and call Him ABBA FATHER!
And see prodigal son story? That is a grace parable. The Father forgives his son and gives him signet ring and sandles. the ring represents all my wealth and riches are yours, the sandles respresent restoration of his status if not wrong. In Christ, we are no longer sinners, but the restored and redeemed. We have sonship through Christ and we have authority, provision and abundance because of Christ.
The focus of our church sermon, as Stan so clearly states, is JESUS glorified. Everything else we have we are blessed with because of His sacrifice on theh cross. The sermons at NCC dun preach cheap grace, love for money... the gospel we hear in NCC preaches a victorious Christ, a loving Father and the wisdom we can only have if we listen and obey the Holy Spirit. Not man. Not money. Not the media. Not the flesh.
Honestly, if they preached money I dun think people would have stayed on the way we have. As my son once said, people seek God because they want to be healed. People find grace to be healed spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically in our church. They come to fall in love with Jesus again not because of dollars and cents, but because of ALL that He gave to us on that cross, ALL that He bled for us, ALL that He went through for us so that we can be redeemed by the shedding of His innocent blood.
That is the gospel we hear preached every Sunday - Christ glorified.
And it is sad when people who go by hearsay or one sermon, two sermon clips proclaim our church preaches material vs Christ spiritual.
Anyone of us who attends week after week and has heard hundreds of sermons over the years have the same opinion - that we see Jesus glorified over all things, all situations, all strongholds. We see grace so clearly and beautifully. Our focus is on Christ, not on things of this world.
That is the view my husband, my son and I share.
My parents have been moved to tears about Jesus's love for them and I see years of hardened scales falling off from their heart every time my son talks to them about the message of grace, when we play sermons at home, when they see how our lives have been transformed.
If a church is teaching wrong values, one should see an escalation of sin in that church.
But all we've seen are transformed hearts, lives transformed for good... my hubby always remarks how he sees people from his school who were real bengs and bad asses attending our church reformed totally by Christ's love for them. He was from a Methodist school btw and he said the whole legalism and condemnation preached by the pastors screwed many lives over.
Now that they are sitting under right teaching, so many have come to see God's love for them and seeing God's love for them they can truly love, truly forgive and truly live a life of victory over bad habits, over sin, over the strongholds that had chained them down.
This is why so many of us speak passionately for the gospel of grace - because without it, there would be no hope, no freedom, no love, no renewed lives.
(I know above was darn long and a bit out of point to ur posting here and there, but got point embedded in it also lah right? The point I mean to say at the end of the day is this- we can never fulfill the law so that we live correctly, only grace and full and fill us with the strength, wisdom, love and ability to live life correctly.) =D
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